Bandai Tamashii Nations: Kotetsu Samurai Iron Man

An addition to my Hall of Armor collection is Kotetsu Iron Man MK. III; or let's just say Samurai Iron Man. I definitely did not expect this to be in my collection but having stumbled on it up close and personal, I was convinced that I need this. I love samurai lore and fantasy; I love Iron Man. So hey! There we go! So how does the combination of those two add up in figure form?

The box itself is pretty attracting. It has to be right? It's really the only thing I had to go with to be convinced that I needed this in my collection! It's a pretty stiff box too so it definitely has that 'expensive' feel to it; and most of the time, expensive means something is inside that is amazing (dumb logic). Ok, on to the figure.

As you might suspect, it tries its best to keep the Iron Man look intact while adding on some Samurai aesthetics. I have to say, I am impressed; a lot more than I thought I would be. It's pretty easy to see that they sculpted this thing with some thought. The armor platings resemble Samurai designs quite well, the areas that have the Iron Man signature design (helmet and Arc Reactor) is still recognizable.

And since it is Feudal Japan era, Iron Man's tech is scaled back a bit. So his jet boosters? Well, it's archaic and very unreliable looking when it comes to flight. But it is well designed. You can see some old tech references, some designs are modeled to look like Eastern-inspired, and it still tries to look like something that Stark would be able to create given the tools he is provided.

Just from the profile, again I'll reiterate just how detailed this guy is. The Samurai-esque armor platings, the helmet that is definitely the eastern warrior but still a hint of Iron Man, the boots, gauntlets, the sword.... it's a good mix for sure!

For some reason, I didn't take a picture of their accessories he has, but he has his jetpack, his katana, and two muskets that amazingly can be the Feudal Japan substitute for his repulsor blast!

It's actually quite ingenious how they incorporated Stark's repulsors in this age and time. Not entirely sure how it would actually work, but they put it in! There's decent detail with these muskets, though lacking some paint, they still look good though. They connect on Stark's forearms just fine. Wish there was a way he can hold them like regular guns.

And then there's his sword. It doesn't have a whole lot to talk about other than it's a pretty cool addition. It's not uber detailed, and even the sheath is a bit of a lackluster considering how extravagant some Samurais can make them. The hilt itself is good though. Glad they put some effort into this. Though I think a gold blade would be a bit more dramatic and my preference.

If aesthetics and presentation are where Kotetsu Iron Man succeeds, articulation is where it is a bit flawed. Why? Well, it will do the standard (a little less, perhaps), but because of its stylized theme, certain movements are highly limited and if 'forced' it will look rather odd with some joints. Some of the classic Iron Man pose might not be as easily acquired with this design. And I didn't even attempt the Iron Man landing pose either. With him lacking a stand (the one I'm using is a figma one), he is limited for sure.

So.... where's Samurai Stark in here? Yes, this is my Hall of Armors dedication shelf. It is just as crazy as it was before. And it still has room for growth, mind you.

So as a closing note, I really like how this guy looks. Back in the day in the 90s Iron Man (the second season), he had a "Samurai Armor"... which he didn't use at all. Regardless, this amalgamation is something I always found intriguing so to have an action figure form version of it, and for the most part, done right, is something I can appreciate. For casual Iron Man fans, this is a pass and honestly, could slip through the cracks to even the die-hard Iron Man fans. With so many Iron Man figures out there, I'm sure this wouldn't be one of those anyone can truly miss. But for me, it's unique and it does fall in line with my preference. It's a great catch and I think it has something to offer for those who are in search for something different in the Iron Man realm. 

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite Gameplay Trailer

It's actually happening! No More X-Men apparently. There goes that side of town again. This game will focus on Marvel's cinematic Universe characters.

Can we get a Spider-Woman, PLEASE?! 

Geek Moment: Power Rangers and.... A MOMENT OF CIVIL WAR

Entertainment Weekly

Huh. I grew up watching Power Rangers and I expected this reboot to be radical and a bit more in line with what is popular these days.... well. Here we are. I don't have a very strong opinion on the suits just with this still image. I have to say that I'm not surprised they went the route with the "Iron Man"/Guyver look since it just makes sense. Lycra and/or spandex won't do. I have to say that some discretion would have been nice, but the over all vivid and outlandish platings and stuff could be appreciated. Just have to see them in action.

And this is what our originals look like now. Modern and hip, I suppose. The gals are cute and the guys aren't as 'obvious' in their color spectrum. Let's give them a chance.

"Magic wand, make my monster.... glow!"

Now as for Rita Repulsa..... I can't say much. The look doesn't bother me since we are trying to go modern here. Though the speculation with the colors obviously ties in with the Green Ranger. LOL. She'll be making Anacondas grow with that Nikki Minnaj get up! HA!

----------In OTHER NEWS-----------

I'm going to try and let the dust settle before I really talk about this movie. One thing is certain, I TRULY enjoyed it! It was great! Definitely not the comic book version of the Civil War, but still a good take for a Cinematic Universe. Though I have to say, I'm not that impressed with the Spider-Man. He isn't worth all the hooting and hollering. And Aunt May? Really? Regardless, good job Marvel! Now I have to see Dawn of Justice for a good comparison! 

A Moment of Nerd Talk

Images from Bigbadtoystore

Well! Another line up of Marvel Legends BAF and it's going to be inspired by the Civil War movie coming out. I have to say, I'm not too excited for it because of the line up and the BAF itself. I mean... it's not eve n"Giant Man", it's Ant-Man stretched out! We had a 6 inch version of Ant-Man (I do not have) and while it looked great and it had some great sculpt from what I have seen, I don't think the figure warrants to be a BAF. Should have been a comic character like Goliath or .... someone else.

But I am interested in this Iron Man figure for a couple of reasons: one, I'm an Iron Man fan! Two, I like the 'new' armor. Three, IT HAS SPECIAL EFFECTS! Did Hasbro follow suit with some of the imports' foot steps?! This might bode well! I'm also interested in the Black Panther since my Toybiz one is in dire need of an update.

On other news, Dawn of Justice came out and I have been hearing some really REALLY bad reviews. Of course there are some good feedback, but from what I surmised: too many characters without a point to certain aspects of it. I wasn't a huge fan of Man of Steel (or the character for that matter) and to have the theme carry over to this 'much anticipated' movie.... and no, I'm not talking about a 'darker' story or what not... just the way it is filmed in general. And apparently, both Superman and Batman are idiots in this movie. Again, I'm just reading reviews and I'm not going to completely side with what they are saying even after I watch the movie, but just from the trailers, it makes sense.

But honestly, I really want to watch this film for Wonder Woman. And NO, it's not because she is the super heroine that paved bondage for the likes of Spider-Woman, Zatanna, Black Canary, Batgirl, etc; I truly do like Wonder Woman for perverted reasons and the idea of her. I have to admit, I do like how her costume looks in the movie and Gal Gadot may not look like the ultimate Wonder Woman, but from the trailers and what I have been reading/hearing, she actually did well and some are even excited to see her solo movie. If I like her performance enough (and her depiction), I'm going to have to try and get the Hot Toy. And having Wonder Woman in this movie is HUGE. It's her FIRST cinematic appearance and her first 'live action' version set on screen since Linda Carter!

But I think with Dawn of Justice getting this much reviews, I hope Suicide Squad does marvelously. I mean, it is also the FIRST cinematic appearance of Harley Quinn! Also a favorite of mine. As it is, her look is well received and also berated, so we'll see. I have a figure preordered of her and I might jump into the Hot Toy of her when it is announced.

Speaking of favorites.... everyone knows how much I love this gal, right? If not, check out these two 'favorite' section of mine:

Deviantart & Pinterest

I would die happy if they come out with a movie of her! And I would die happy TWICE if they do a homage of her old costume like they did with Cap in First Avenger! Her old suit is still the best, but I'm getting used to her new one. Imagine a hot toy of her?! MAN!

Anyways! That's all the nerd talk these days!

Future Additions and Prospects

Here's another one of those (Figma/Animes)... what to add on my collection so I can fight to find MORE room! So with that said. Most these pictures are from bigbadtoystore and SideshowCollectibles.

Bishoujo Tali: As it is, this one is on its way and I can't wait to review her. It's been a while since I have had a Mass Effect figure.

Bishoujo Spider-Gwen: Preordered and she is a must. She's coming later this year.

Bishoujo New 52 Harley: At first I was very hesitant to get her but after seeing actual prototype pictures of her, I must say she is sexy and a must.

 

DC Collectibles Harley and Batgirl: I don't have a whole lot of DC, but seems they are stepping up the game! Let's start with these two gals and see just how much they stepped up their game.

Really Prospects: These next few guys are something that are a bit on the high end and I am not sure I will have the funds to support it. BUT....

I'm due for another Hot Toy and to get one this year with this Iron Man, well, I'd for sure say he'd be toy of the year. The Spider-Woman statue would definitely make me a bonafide Spider-Woman collector! And I do adore Wonder Woman's cinematic costume; Playarts Kai does great work and last I had one(Supergirl), she made the toy of the year.

Well, that's it for now. Some of these are for sure, some are still... on the fence. Happy Collecting to me then!

2015 Collection Highlights

This is my 3rd annual "Collection Highlights". Following suit of my 2014, this year is a bit different than the last. Now while I collected as much as I can, I feel like I don't have the big bang quality nor do I have a lot variety. Things were a bit tight on the funds this year so I think I'm more or less on the Hasbro side(Marvel Legends are my cheapest and growing collection). The times I was collecting did bring joy in my life so I can't really complain. So here we are!

Marvel Legends: As I stated, this year I gained a lot and let me just digress... I didn't capture the one BAF I should probably have: The AoU Hulkbuster BAF. Room and funds were into big play this year and... I'll get that someday. Also one thing about the selection this year, there are no more Toybiz ones since I didn't buy any. And this year, I started gaining this 'meh' attitude towards Hasbro's supply since there were so many 'repeats', rehashes, and lacking of accessories. Now I may sound like I hate Legends... I really don't. So without further adieu, these are the top notches in my list. And yes, the majority of them came from the Odin BAF series.

Iron Fist, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, Spidey 2099, Spider-Woman

Top Legend: 

We should not be surprised that it is Jessica Drew that wins this. I have been waiting for an updated Marvel Legend of Spider-Woman so long that when I heard that she was coming out, I was elated beyond belief. She isn't a perfect Legend, and she still suffers from Hasbro's disease of 'lack ofs', but, it is still an adequate figure! So great that I have three! Thank you Hasbro!

Build-A-Figure(ML): I will be honest that since Hasbro is the main supplier of BAFs, this year suffers; now there were variety this year, that is for sure! I did not even get half of the BAFs that came out for a few reasons and the ones I got, well... I only have three total so the battle for who is number one BAF remains on this three:

Odin, Hobgoblin, Thanos

BAF Legend:

I wanted it to be Thanos, believe me. Thanos is my favorite character out of the three and I was looking forward for a brand new Thanos figure for such a long time. It also helped that Thanos as a BAF came with Spider-Woman for one of his parts! Unfortunately, Thanos did NOT deliver. Low articulation, not exactly diverse in the form of poses... no accessories. Odin would be my second favorite with how unique he is and he comes with an accessory; So with that said, Hobgoblin took the trophy for 2015. He has more accessories, he is unique, and he is pretty fun to pose. That's the tricky thing with rating BAFs... is it the set or the figure itself that makes these guys? For Hobgoblin's case, it's him as the figure since his set wasn't that great to me.

Imports: This particular genre did not come with a lot of choices for 2015. I did not buy a lot since imports are not cheap by any means(the ideal number for candidates are five, but again, money was not easy to come by this year). So with my choices being limited to the three... well...

Iron man, Elsa, Harley Quinn

Most Enamoring: 

Elsa is not even in the same league--and while I love that cute little figure, it doesn't fit the mold of how to put it against the S.H. Figuarts that I bought this year; still she is an import so I had to include her in here. Now between Harley and Stark, it was really hard. I wanted to really say Harley Quinn but there was just something so much more entertaining in this Iron Man import that I could not justify Harley taking the trophy. It was a coin toss, but I have to say that Iron Man is superior between the two (in my humble opinion).

Statues: While I did not get a lot this year, it still is a decent number and the competition was there. Bishoujo remains to be my dominant supplier for this area. Nonetheless, these are the catch of 2015 in regards to statues:

Rei Ayanami, Batwoman, Juri Han, Jubilee

Winning Statue: 

Juri came on top with Batwoman a close second. Jubilee was cute and Rei was a good pick but I would be lying if I denied the idea that I would have let both teens win the slots for the sake of sexuality. Juri and Batwoman are head to head but I think Juri just has more intricacy--and maybe that doesn't fall on the product but the character design. Still, Ayanami was the none Bishoujo out of the four and she was just plain fan service.

Shout out: This category is new and I have to say that this particular 'winner' does not come in abundance. Marvel Select are hardly something I collect but I do have them as display. This particular guy is the first I have ever opened and I have to say, it was well worth it! Amazing thing! While lacking some articulation and accessories, stable, well painted, and all that.... it's a fine addition to my Iron Man shelf.

Marvel Select Hulkbuster

After Word: This year did not produce a "THE ONE" kind of deal. While I will say that I adore the majority of my catch this year, I believe there was just so much clutter in my 'life' that I can't say any figure really stood out. STOOD OUT. I did not get into a Hot Toy this year and they are almost a guaranteed winner. Regardless, I think 2015 was a decent hunting year. I had a lot of fun with those I caught and 2016 seems even more promising. Maybe if I get lucky this year I will have a Hot Toy on the review slot? Well, here's to the new year then! 

Avengers Infinity: Hulkbuster

Well, here we are with another addition to my collection! This is going to be an Infinity series in the form of the Hulkbuster from the Age of Ultron movie! So, going off the fact that this is more of a 'mini-statue' than anything else so it won't be a very long review. In fact, it will be more the pictures doing the talking. So, moving on.

We've only really seen this in my collection on other time and that was during the first edition of the Infinity series (second or first? I don't know). Regardless, here's the box. Not bad at all. Can be displayed mint in box if one wants. But ....

The details are good; now it's not going to be 100% accurate since it is more a cartoony version of the Hulkbuster that we saw in AoU. Just from the two I own, Infinity figures seems to have this 'monotone' coloring work to them and it works. It looks like the Hulkbuster that we saw Iron Man use in the movie so with all that said, I'm not complaining.

And since the Hulkbuster is more of a ground and pound/juggernaut (no pun intended, Marko!) armor, this figure has a fighting stance that mirrors its purpose. It sure is ready to beat the crap of the next Hulk around the corner, is he not?

And my only other Infinity figure is Elsa. They don't really stand in scale if we are talking about the 'canon' idea, but hey! Works!

And there is my Infinity Hulkbuster standing in my Iron Man Shelf! He can kind of get lost in the fray of Red and Golds. But he still kind of stands out somewhere in there!

All in all, I expected what I got out of this figure. Honestly, he is as impressive as he was in the package. There was nothing 'surprising' about him. He wasn't lackluster or great, but he is still a great addition!